


Of Kings and Lionhearts

by Greencheetahlover



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Adventure, Blood, Drama, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fantasy AU, First Meetings, Hurt/Comfort, Knight George, Lionheart AU, M/M, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, Swearing, Travelling companions, but its more like, hidden identity, king dream, monster fighting, royal au, shirking of responsibility, the violence is pretty minor tbh but I want to be safe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:53:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26282218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Greencheetahlover/pseuds/Greencheetahlover
Summary: George is a knight who just wanted to help the King, but instead got stuck babysitting Dream, a careless noble aiming to get them both killed. However, Dream might not be who he says he is and uncertainty and adventure lurk around every corner as they travel through out the Kingdom.//or, Dream is the King who doesnt want to be and George is the knight that gets roped into his shenanigans.
Relationships: Clay | Dream & GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF)
Comments: 49
Kudos: 284





	1. To Be Something Other

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This story is inspired by the lovely [art](https://bpzau-art.tumblr.com/post/625392136706228224/aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-this-was-fun-after-this-i) of bpzau-art's over on tumblr, you should go check her out!  
> The scene in her artwork isnt actually gonna show up until the later chapters because I went a little crazy with the outlining but the journey should be enjoyable!
> 
> For clarification, Dream is just a nickname from his childhood that not many people know. So when people are refering to him in this chapter, they use the King, or your majesty, or Clay, because that's his name. But when it is centered on his pov and for the rest of the story, everyone is going to refer to him as Dream. I hope that makes sense! 
> 
> Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoy :)

Dream allowed his head to slump into his awaiting hand that was propped up against the long ebony table in the dreaded meeting room. Badboyhalo, the advisor for Skeppy’s kingdom, was currently droning on about their nations alliance and how important it was for both Kingdoms in the past and how it would continue to be in the future and Dream was ready to fall asleep. 

Bad started spouting poetry about Skeppy’s plans and desires for his kingdom and Dream gently and slowly allowed his eyes to fall closed and grant himself a brief reprise from the boredom of the meeting. Immediately, he felt a swift kick to his shins under the table from his own advisor. He leveled a scowl at Wilbur. 

It was Wilbur’s fault that he was at this meeting in the first place. He had originally planned on spending the afternoon practicing archery with his younger cousin who had been boasting of his quickly improving skills. Dream had intended on knocking Tommy down a few pegs, but Wilbur had insisted that he attend a last-minute meeting with Bad instead. 

Bad paused his ramblings, noticing the commotion from the other end of the table, “Am I boring you, King Clay?” 

Dream sat up straighter in his chair and studied the dare that gleamed in Bad’s eyes. He quickly weighed the pros and cons of what he wanted to say and decided that, as Bad had so ineloquently told him, their Kingdoms had been friends for a long time. Bad was also fairly close and had visited the kingdom often since Dream was a child and Dream decided he deserved his honesty. “Actually, yes Bad. I don’t understand why you are insisting on recounting our kingdoms entire history. Just tell me what you want.” He heard Wilbur take in a breath besides him. 

Bad blinked at Dream and looked back in forth between him and Wilbur in surprise. Wilbur coughed pointedly and sent a warning glare at Dream.

“Excuse me, I just, I know all about our extensive history Bad, we do this every meeting. You can just tell me what you came for. Like you said, our Kingdoms do have an extensive history, I think we are past pleasantries.” Dream offered Bad a small smile, the only apology that he would be getting. 

Bad returned the smile, abet with more hesitation. “Yes well, as I was getting to, there is a small favor that Skeppy requests of you, on account of our long friendship and all”

Dream frowned slightly, suddenly all of the preamble making sense. He exchanged glances with Wilbur, and Dream could tell that the other was internally groaning. 

“And what would that request be?”

“Just,” Bad started, standing up from the table. Dream and Wilbur followed suit and followed Bad over to a large map on the other side of the room. “An acquisition of land. You see, none of your people really inhabit this mountain, and you know Skeppy is always looking to expand his mining efforts-”

“I am not relinquishing any of my land to his majesty the Diamond King,” Dream scoffed, turning away from the nonsense meeting, “Don’t be ridiculous.” 

“King Clay!” Bad cried after Dream, “at least allow me to-”

The rest of Badboyhalo’s sentence was cut out as the doors swung closed behind Dream, leaving the two advisors behind to stare after his departure awkwardly. 

* * *

Techno found Dream practicing archery in the yard that his brother had abandoned just hours before. He watched Dream narrowly miss the center ring of the target.

“Oh, how the mighty have fallen,” Techno says with a smirk, leaning against the wooden fence that separated them. Dream whipped around and scowled, but Techno could tell it was only half-hearted. “I heard you threw a temper tantrum at the meeting with Skeppy’s advisor today.”

Dream sighed and leveled another arrow at the target. “It wasn’t a temper tantrum-” He let the arrow fly and it found it’s mark in the center, “-Wilbur is exaggerating as usual.”

“Hmm, doubtful, you are prone to over reaction, my dear cousin,” Techno said as he followed Dream to put his bow and arrow away. 

“What with the formalities, Techno?” Dream quipped, carefully cleaning his equipment before gingerly putting it away, just like his father had taught him. 

“What’s with the attitude? You looked downright murderous when Wilbur mentioned that you had to attend the meeting this morning. And you’ve been in a particularly vexing mood since,” Techno paused tapping his finger on his chin, then smirking, “well since birth really, but its been worse in the last couple months.” 

Dream decided that he wasn’t going to dignify Techno with a response. He tried to walk out of the training room, but Techno quickly stepped in front of the door to block his escape. 

“Look, Clay, I care about you a lot, just talk to me because I know you aren’t gonna talk to Wilbur and I think he is gonna have a fit if this goes on much longer.”

Dream quickly realized that he didn’t really have a viable reason to avoid the situation and decided to bite the bullet. “I don’t know if I am really meant to be a King.” Techno sucks in a breath in surprise. His momentary shock allowed Dream to slip past and continue on his way back to his room. 

Techno huffed in disbelief and followed after him. “This is why I am glad Wilbur just let me become a potato farmer.”

“Wilbur didn’t really let you; you just bought a farm one day and started planting potatoes. And when Wilbur questioned it you just told him-“

Techno quickly interrupted him. “-that it was all part of my master plan, yeah yeah, I know, I’m the one who said it. You know, I take my potato business very seriously. I also told Wilbur that strategizing farming techniques translates to running an empire fairly equitably.”

“And he bought that?” They arrived at Dream’s room quickly, as Dream preferred to be situated close to all the action as opposed to taking over his father’s obscenely large chambers on the other side of the castle.

“Well the potato farming competition isn’t any joke, Clay. Squid is always looking for any opportunity to gain the upper hand over me,” Techno said without a hint of humor in his voice as Dream opened the doors and ushered him inside. 

Dream laughed anyway, because it was a little ridiculous. “And to think you used to be the most feared fighter in Viridis.”

“Potato farming isn’t intensive all year round, its mostly just the planting, and then harvesting. I could still beat your ass in any fight.” Techno snarks, sitting down in the middle of Clay’s bed as a subtle display of dominance. Dream just sighed, used to Techno’s antics, and flopped down on the floor beneath him, allowing the stress of the day to sink out of him and into the marble below. 

“Whatever you need to tell yourself, Techno,” Dream said, leaning up on his elbows to squint at his cousin. “If you want to prove your superiority, let’s just duel.”

“Ehhh,” Techno drawled out, “I’m actually busy later, you see I have a progress report meeting with my goons about Squid’s farm production levels so…”

Dream smiled at that, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I’m serious though.” Dream said, returning to the matter at hand, “I’m kinda just, tired of being King.”

“Well that sucks.”

“Thanks techno, I feel all better now,” Dream replied sarcastically, 

“Look,” Techno said, standing and following dream to the window, “I just don’t really know what to say. Being the King is hard, but someone has to do it. The kingdom needs a strong ruler, Clay. And you are a good one. Who else would do it? Me?” Techno chuckled lightly at the thought, but Dream looked at him as if he had a sudden realization. 

“That’s it!” Dream grabbed techno’s shoulders excitedly and shook him a little. “I can just leave for a bit, go have a crazy adventure, at least one, you got to have so many when you where younger. And then, you can just take over leading until I come back!” 

Techno frowned and pushed Dreams hands off his shoulders. “You can’t just abandon your kingdom Clay. Like it or not, you are the King.”

Dream scoffed. “You aren’t listening. I’d leave you in control. And I’d come back, I wouldn’t be gone forever, I just, I need a break Technoblade.” Dream felt the desperation leaking into his voice. He hadn’t even realized he felt so strongly about needing to escape the pressure of leading an entire nation until Techno had waved the idea right in front of his face. He moved away from where he could feel his cousin’s eyes boring disappointedly into the back of his head and looked outside to where he could see the sun setting behind the sawtooth cut mountain edges. They had never looked so inviting. 

“And what If I said I wont rule in your absence, just so you can go play being twelve and having no responsibilities again?” 

Dream let out a strange combination between a laugh and a deep sigh. “There has never once been a point in my life where I wasn’t buried under responsibility and you know it.” He turned back to face Techno and place his elbows on the window seal behind him.

Techno remained silent and Dream couldn’t read his expression. He finally let out a sigh. “You aren’t gonna drop this, are you?”

“I am asking, as your King and as your cousin, just give me a couple months to just go on adventures and kill monsters and do everything you got to do when you were 18.”

“This is a bad idea Clay,” Techno said, pinching the bridge of his nose like Wilbur usually did. 

“Fine,” Dream said crossing his arms, “I am not asking, I am telling”

“Well, in that case your wish is my command, King Clay.” Techno dropped down into a sort of half bow and Dream pointedly ignored the mocking nature and opened the door to invite Techno out of his room.

Techno paused next to Dream before walking out. “At least take someone with you. I don’t want you getting stabbed out there because of your incompetence.” Dream knew that behind the insult, Techno was just trying to look out for him. “You could take Punz?”

“The whole point is to not be King for once. I just want to be seen and treated like normal.”

Techno rolled his eyes, “Fine, I’ll pick a random knight, one that is very unlikely to recognize you.”

“Fine.” Dream called out to Techno’s retreating back.

* * *

George stood guard outside of one of the main halls with Ponk where they had been stationed all morning. Nothing much was happening, so he allowed his mind to wander back to when he had seen the king storm out of his meeting earlier that day. He hadn’t managed to catch a glimpse of his face before he was already halfway down the hall with his advisor shouting after him. George had been there for three months already and that was the first time they had even been in the same room. He was taller than George had imagined and seemed to command the room despite his young age. George supposed that he wasn’t altogether that young anymore. He was actually the same age as other Kings nearby, but Clay had kept his image of being a young king since he was inaugurated at 16. George had been 19 himself at the time and he distinctly remembered being impressed and a little surprise. 

Suddenly, he felt an elbow jab into his side. “What are you daydreaming about Georgie?” Ponk teased.

George rolled his eyes at the nickname. “I’m standing guard, Ponk. Leave me be.”

Ponk rolled his eyes in return. “Right,” he drawled out, “are you sure you aren’t thinking about our handsome King?”

“Handsome? I didn’t even really see him Ponk. You’re ridiculous,” George said.

Ponk opened his mouth to snark back, but just then, Punz, the head guard, marched over and locked eyes with the two. Ponk and George immediately stood up straighter. 

“You.” Punz pointed at George. “Sir, uhh, George, right?”

George nodded, stepping forward slightly nervously.

“Badboyhalo, the advisor of King Skeppy, requires an escort to his room in the south wing,” Punz said quickly, motioning for George to follow him, “Do you think that you can do that?”

George affirmed that he could and Punz lead him to where Badboyhalo was waiting. Punz introduced them and left, leaving George to lead Bad to the west wing. 

“Hello!” Bad said cheerfully.

“Hello.” George responded, a little taken aback by the friendliness. 

Bad eyed George curiously as they walked through the hallway. “You’re new here, aren’t you? Are you from Eret’s Kingdom?”

“I’m from Rast,” George said, sighing internally. He had many fellow knights ask him the same question when he first arrived.

“Ahh.” Bad nodded. “That’s right on the border of Eret’s Kingdom, so the accent makes sense. I think Wilbur might actually be from that area as well.”

George nodded although not entirely sure himself. “I am new actually. I arrived like three months ago.”

“What do you think so far?” 

“Uhh…of what?” They were nearing the east wing and George was ready to escape the small talk with the energetic advisor.

“Of the castle! Of the King,” Bad smiled, “What is it like being a knight in the kingdom of Viridis?”

“It’s nice.” George said hesitantly.

“Oh, come on! You have to have more than that!” Bad said with on open smile and a gleam in his eyes. 

George frowned slightly, wondering what exactly the foreign advisor wanted from him. “I like working in the castle, but I have not personally spoken with the King. I obviously think he is a good ruler, or I wouldn’t be a knight for him.”

George thought back to the moment he had first heard that the then 16-year-old prince was taking up the mantle of king. It was that same moment that he had decided he wanted to become a knight. He supposed it was a sense of duty of some sort. Or, maybe it had simply been a desire to prove himself as someone capable of taking care of himself and of others. He had decided to wield the sword instead of a hoe, a decision that had led him to the castle and to protecting the King. 

He looked over at Bad and could tell that he was trying to read his face, which caused him to further soften his features into a neutral expression. He didn’t like people, especially strangers snooping into his thought process. George didn’t think of himself as a shy person per say, just someone who knew when to speak his mind and when to keep his mouth firmly shut. This situation was one of the latter. 

He saw Bad open his mouth, presumably to push him further about his relationship with the King, but to his relief, they had finally made it to the wing where Bad was staying. 

George gestured to the room Bad was staying in, eager to be done with the conversation. “Well, we’re here.”

“Thank you for walking me, Knight George!” Bad grinned brightly and George couldn’t tell if it was completely genuine or not. He turned to walk back to his station, already planning on complaining to Ponk about the nosy Advisor. 

“George!” Bad called, forcing him to turn back around. “You should know the person you are willing to spend your life fighting for.”

With that cryptic statement, Bad walked into his room, leaving George to ponder exactly what he had meant. 

As he walked back to his post with Ponk, he thought about how stupid Badboyhalo’s statement was. George was just a knight and Clay was the King. He wasn’t one to pretend he was anything other than a farmer’s son who was good with a sword. But he had trained for years and had finally made it to the castle and was getting used to the simple routine that he followed each day. 

Suddenly, a sharp voice interrupted his inner monologue from a room off to his left. Now, normally, George wouldn’t be one to eavesdrop because it could get him killed by angry nobles. But his conversation with Bad was fresh in his mind, so when he heard King Clay’s name, he found himself stopping and crouching outside of the door. He glanced around him and found the hall to be empty, so he quickly pressed his ear to the door. 

“He’s just not being a good King,” a voice said with heavy annoyance. George’s eyes widened in surprise. He leaned closer to the door, but the rest of the sentence was cut off. Not a good King? Objectively, George knew that not all of the nobles in the kingdom got along with Clay all of the time, but he hadn’t been aware of any grievances recently. 

A second voice responded. “He’s being irresponsible. I just don’t understand…” 

Once again, the rest of the words were lost as the voice delved into more of a whisper. George was about to decide to just move on, because ultimately the conversation was none of his business despite the rude words about the King, when he heard something that made him freeze in place. 

“Well, he’s not going to be king anymore.”

* * *

A couple hours after his conversation with Technoblade, Dream was done packing, and stood exchanging his crown from hand to hand. He felt ready and confident, but his foot was still tapping apprehensively against the ground. 

Suddenly, there was a short rapping at his door that Dream easily recognized. “Come in Punz.”

Punz leveled Dream with a scowl as soon as he entered, and Dream prepared himself for another argument. Punz stopped just in front of him and crossed his arms, the scowl not dropping from his face. 

“You talked to Techno, didn’t you?” Dream sighed.

“What the hell man!?” Punz asked explosively, “You’re leaving? What’s that about?”

“I’m not leaving for good. I’ll come back.” Dream ran his fingers through his hair tiredly. 

“The fact that you’re leaving in the first place, its just so irresponsible,” Punz said, rolling his eyes.

“Maybe I’m tired of being responsible!” Dream yelled. Punz’s eyes widened in shock, but Dream kept going. “I’ve been responsible my whole fucking life, I just want to live for once before being King for the rest of my life.”

Dream’s heart was beating rapidly in his chest and he could feel the beginnings of tears in the corner of his eyes. Punz studied him for a moment before dropping his hostile stance and pulling Dream into a tight hug. He allowed himself to relax into Punz embrace and return the hug. He didn’t often get hugs, so he relished in the comforting contact. 

“I just don’t want to be as big as I am. Just for a little bit. Just for a few months,” Dream muttered into Punz’s shoulder. 

Punz didn’t respond, just patted Dream’s back comfortingly. After a few more seconds, he pulled back and held his shoulders so that they were looking each other in the eyes. “Be safe.”

“I will,” Dream said, eyes landing on the sword he had placed next to his pack, “Techno is making me take a knight.”

“Good.” Punz smiled, and Dream waved his hand to dismiss him, walking over to his bed to begin readying for the night. Punz turned towards the door, then hesitated and looked back. “Clay?”

Dream grunted in response from where he was sitting in his bed. 

“I hope you can realize what this kingdom means while you are out there” Punz said, with a tinge of sadness in his voice. Dream opened his mouth to respond but he found that he didn’t really know what to say in response. Punz nodded respectfully and let himself out. 

Dream groaned and buried his face into his hands. He felt guilt and uncertainty settle in his stomach. He thought about all of the people who depended on him that he would be leaving behind, and picked up his crown that he had discarded when Punz came in. The gold glinted in the setting sunlight and he traced the ridges with his thumb. It was both heavier and lighter than he had imagined it when it was atop his father’s head. 

He placed the crown on top of his pack with a sigh and finished getting ready for bed. Punz’s words echoed in his heads as he brushed his teeth and get dressed for the night. His eyes landed on his crown again on the way to blow out the candles and he felt himself grimace. He deftly picked it up and moved it to the mantle above the fireplace. 

“I am allowed to be selfish this once,” was Dream’s last thought as he drifted off to sleep. 

* * *

George woke up in a panic. The only thing that had been on his mind all night was what to do about the treasonous talk that he had heard the previous day. He felt anxious because he wanted to tell someone, but he didn’t know who he could trust. He hadn’t stayed long enough to discover who they were, and the voices had been familiar but not enough for him to recognize. 

He stressed all throughout breakfast, enough that Ponk questioned his weird behavior, but George just shrugged it off. 

He went through his morning routine in a daze, his mind arguing between two trains of thoughts. The first was that he should just mind his own damn business, the things nobles talk about do not always come to fruition, it was the safer option for him. However, it wasn’t necessarily the safest option for the King, which was his second train of thought. King Clay deserved to be informed. It could save his life. And George was a knight after all. 

Which was why he found himself walking past the dining hall at lunch, and instead making his way to the throne room. The decorative oak doors were wide open and there was a lone figure lounging on the throne. 

George immediately dropped into a bow. “Your Majesty I-“

The person on the throne let out a low chuckle. “You must be new here. I’m Techno, his cousin. Not the King.”

George’s eyes widened and his heart dropped as he recognized the voice as one of the ones from the night before. “Your Highness then,” George said hesitantly, rising from his bow. 

“Bingo,” Techno drawled out, studying George with interest. 

George was internally panicking because he was possibly too late. “Where is the King? Why are you on the throne instead?”

“I don’t see how that is any of your business, as a lowly knight,” Techno said, raising his eyebrow amusedly. “He is taking a leave of absence for a while, kingly business, you know the drill, I wouldn’t worry if I was you.”

George narrowed his eyes at the insult. “No way, he wouldn’t leave you in charge,” George retaliated, biting his tongue when he realized what he was saying.

“What, you think I can’t lead?” Techno shot him a dangerous smile. George’s mind unwilling flashed back to the time Techno had dyed his hair pink in his teens. Word had spread all the way to George’s small village. George smartly decided to keep his mouth shut this time and stared slightly remorsefully back at Technoblade. 

“I could rule easily if I wanted to,” Techno said casually, “Why did you come running in here wanting to talk to Clay so bad anyway?”

George hesitated, knowing that he had to pick his words carefully. “I overheard a conversation that the King should be privy to.” That was not carefully.

“Eavesdropping? Interesting,” Techno said, the dangerous gleam back in his eyes, and George felt a drip of sweat bead down the back of his neck. He was dead. “What did you say was your name again?”

I didn’t. “George,” he said, because his fate was unfortunately already sealed. 

“Well knight George, I think I have just the assignment for you,” Techno said, hoping off the throne and walking down to meet George. He unconsciously reached for the sword that rested at his side, but instead of attacking him, Techno slapped his hand onto his shoulder his shoulder and grinned. “I need you to accompany Dream on his travels.”

“What?” George asked in utter confusion.

“Dream. A friend of mine. He wants to go on an adventure, but he is a little dumb. Doesn’t really know how to take care of himself, most likely gonna get himself killed, you know the drill. I need you to watch him and keep him alive until he comes back.” 

George’s mouth fell open in shock. “For- for how long?”

“As long as it takes,” Techno said with a little bit of a grimace. He slaps George’s shoulder again. “You leave in three hours.”

George walked back to his room and began packing in a little bit of a daze. He decided quickly that techno must have known that he had overheard his conversation yesterday, and was planning on sending him on a mission just to distract him. The real question was how long it would be before this ‘Dream’ person tried to kill him and frame it as the quick work of a monster. 

He grimaced, folding an extra set of clothing into a bag. This wasn’t exactly how he had expected the first few months of his knighthood to go. He supposed he should have taken the easier option and simply not have gone to tell the King of the plot against him. He had waited to long anyway. He wondered if Clay was still alive out there , or if his death was going to quickly be made to look like an accident as well. 

With that grim thought, he finished packing and surveyed the room that he had shared with his fellow knights and gave a quiet goodbye. Ponk was out still doing rounds and George regretted not taking the chance to warn him about the danger of Technoblade earlier. He decided to leave him a note letting him know that he had not just decided to vanish. 

‘I finally did something of importance. See you in a couple of months hopefully,’ George wrote out, and tucked it underneath Ponk’s pillow before heading out to find Dream. 

* * *

Dream paced back and forth nervously, waiting just outside the castle wall by the old willow tree, where his cousin had told him the knight he had chosen would meet him. He tugged on the simple white mask he had chosen to cover his face. Not many people would know what he looked like once they got outside of the city limits, but it was better to be safe than sorry. 

“You must be Dream,” A foreign voice called out from behind him that must have been the knight. Dream relished in the anonymity of his childhood nickname. 

“Yeah, that’s me,” Dream replied, turning around, and sticking out his hand for a handshake. 

The knight gave him an unamused look but delivered a firm handshake. “I’m George.” He watched as George sized him up carefully. His eyes lingered on the mask that covered half his face, but he didn’t question it. 

“Thanks for agreeing to accompany me, George,” Dream flashed him a smile, before realizing that his mask would render the expression useless. 

George grimaced. “Didn’t really have much of a say in the matter.” 

He adjusted the pack on his back, giving Dream the opportunity to study the knight. He was shorter than him, with short brown hair and brown eyes to match. His stance gave off the appearance of being indifferent, but dream could see tension in the way he was holding he shoulders high and how his hand never strayed too far away from his sword. He didn’t seem to trust or like him very much, but he also didn’t recognize him as the King, which was all that really mattered to Dream. 

“Well?” Dream said, gesturing to the expansive forest behind him. George nodded and began down the trail leading deeper into the forest. Dream followed him, slightly behind, one step closer to everything he desired.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that Dream and George have finally met, it is time for adventures and shenanigans!! :D  
> The next update should be within the next few weeks! (College is rough y'all)  
> If you like this story, please consider leaving a kudos and maybe a comment :) They are hugely motivating and hey, its free, and you can always choose not to in the future ;)
> 
> The title is definitely inspired by Of Monsters and Men because I love them (and the lionheart song fits this AU pretty well, hense the title :) )
> 
> Thank you so much for reading to the end! If you want to check out more of my stuff or just shoot me a question, you can find me on tumblr at [technoqlane](https://technoqlane.tumblr.com/) !!


	2. A fragile Connection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey yall! Long time no see. It’s been a whole *checks calendar defeatedly* _seven weeks_ since I last uploaded. Yikes!! I promise that the next chapter wont take that long. I have less compliments in the next few weeks, so that’s looking good ((note to self: when writing a story, don’t enter into a separate writing competition that lasts a month))
> 
> The support on the first chapter was amazing and I appreciate all of you who left kudos and comments so much!! Yall literally make my day. A special shout out to River and Vividi for kicking my butt in gear and getting me to bust out this chapter this week 
> 
> Thank you for sticking with this :) and without further ado, I hope you enjoy the chapter <3

Tommy stormed into the throne room the day after Dream left the castle. Wilbur and Techno exchanged a tired glance as Tommy let the large doors slam shut behind him. Techno sighed and bookmarked the novel on warfare that he was reading before standing up to placate his angry younger brother. 

“Where the hell is Clay?” Tommy asked, stomping about like he might be hidden with them, “He missed my archery practice again, the prick-“

“He is on a campaign to fight a Dragon,” Techno answered, then smirked, “Didn’t you listen to the official report this morning?”

“Yes, I listened to the official report, you bastard, I just think its utter bullshit and I want to know what is really going on.” He stood in front of Wilbur and Techno with as much of a menacing aura in his stance as he could muster. 

“You should be more respectful to your superiors, Tommy,” Techno said, not so subtly adjusting the crown that now sat atop his head. 

“You’re not my superior, you’re just my-“ Tommy paused, sudden realization flashing across his face, which then turned into disbelief and annoyance. “He left you in charge? What the fuck?”

“He is second in line Tommy, who else is he going to leave in charge?” Wilbur replied, sounding generally exhausted. Techno cursed Dream in his head for causing everyone so much stress, and it was just the beginning of his absence. He was sure there would be more headaches to come. 

“Look, Tommy, Clay has just taken a leave of absence for the next couple of months. Its as simple as that.” Wilbur explained, getting up and placing a hand on Tommy’s shoulder. 

Tommy let out a laugh, reading between the lines of what Wilbur was saying. “Oh my god, he’s gone and run away. He really is a shit king.” 

“Tommy-“ Wilbur began with a warning in his voice.

“What, you think you could do better?” Techno drawled out, interrupting Wilbur. 

His brother puffed out his chest in response. “Of course.”

Techno shook his head and laughed. Wilbur just sighed. “You’re sixteen, Tommy.” 

He crossed his arms in a pout. “So was Clay when he took the lead!”

“Different circumstance,” techno replied easily.

“Ugh, whatever. I don’t know why I am wasting my time talking to you stupid old men,” Tommy said, turning to storm back out, presumably to complain to his friends.

“Don’t go telling people that the king ran away. It would be best to keep to the official statement. Clay will be back soon,” Wilbur called warningly. Tommy just rolled his eyes in response, the silent ‘Duh’ clearly painted on his face. 

Wilbur got up to follow Tommy, most likely to make sure he actually did as was suggested, which left Techno to return to his reading. He frowned, finding himself distracted by the implied ‘I hope’ that had remained unspoken after Wilbur’s last statement.

* * *

Dream sloshed through what seemed like the tenth puddle of the day, following after the knight who appeared to have no qualms about speeding up when he noticed Dream falling behind. They had been on the road for a few days now, and George’s standoffish demeanor had not lightened up. Dream couldn’t think of a reason why the other seemed to despise him despite knowing nothing about him at all, other than the obvious stick up his ass. 

“Hey!” he called out, ignoring the hint of desperation in his voice, “Can we slow down a bit? What’s the rush?”

George threw Dream a mildly annoyed glance over his shoulder. “I thought you’d want to hurry up and have your little adventure, or did you just want to come out here to goof around and waste my time?” he snarked in response, still stopping to allow Dream to catch up. 

Dream bristled at the implication that being out here was a game to him but decided to brush it off. “I don’t think that’s how adventures work, if I am honest,” Dream said once he had caught up to George. He adjusted the pack on his back, reaching back to grab his water flask. He pulled his mask down, forgetting momentarily that he was supposed to be hiding his face, and gulped down the soothing water. 

When he was done, he glanced at George and saw his eyes flicker away from where, Dream assumed, he must have been watching his face. He quickly pulled his mask back up over his nose and turned to shove his water canister back in his pack. 

Dream’s heart beat rapidly and he prayed that George hadn’t recognized him. He had been so careful before, eating a couple paces behind George on the trail and only taking off his mask once they were in their separate inn rooms for the night. They had yet to sleep on the road, but Dream had been prepared for that time to come. However, George didn’t seem to have had any sudden realizations, so Dream allowed himself to relax. _It was bound to happen at some point_. He glanced at the sky, noting that the sun was nearing the horizon, barely visible through the trees ahead. When he voiced his observation, George dismissed his concern, and they continued forward. 

The sun continued to set, casting long shadows through the trees. Dream heard rustling in the bushes to his left and felt a thrill run up the center of his back. Despite himself, he reached for his sword. George shot him an amused look and Dream quickly let go, huffing in embarrassment. 

They continued on, and so did the rustling around them. Dream, determined to prove that he wasn’t so easily frightened, allowed his mind to wander to his travelling companion, who currently had a slight pout etched onto his face. So far, he had not been overly friendly, choosing instead to astutely show that he would rather be anywhere other than with Dream. The first day he had constantly asked how long the journey was supposed to last, where they were even going, basically striving to get on his nerves as much as possible. 

Dream wanted to get along with George, he wanted to like him, maybe even be his friend. But he didn’t know how that would be possible when the knight seemed annoyed and even apprehensive about his presence. 

Another bout of rustling brought him out of his thoughts. He paused, looking at George, who had also stopped and was listening intensely. 

The forest was suddenly eerily quiet, and Dream became aware of just how much closer the sun was to setting. The trees seemed more hostile, their branches thick and unyielding to the remainder of the light that was trying to slip through. He heard a low hiss, and George quickly unsheathed his sword.

“George?” Dream questioned, pulling his own sword out. 

“It’s a spider,” he replied with a grimace.

Before Dream had the ability to question why a spider warranted pulling out the swords, a giant black tarantula charged out from the bushes. George raced forward, wasting no time in attacking the creature. _Right_ , Dream thought, _giant spiders are a thing_. He had heard stories about them in his childhood from Philza, who enjoyed the excitement his boys and Dream would get in their eyes when adventure was mentioned, but he had never fully believed the stories until Techno had come back from journeys boasting of his kills and showing off the spider eyes he had collected. 

He heard more rustling behind him, which could only mean another spider. He wiped around and raised his sword, grateful that he had been keeping up his swordsmanship by practicing with Tommy. The spider, who reached Dream’s height, scuttled towards him out of the bushes, red eyes gleaming. 

He swung his sword as the creature neared him, managing to lope off one of its legs. It let out an angry hiss, rearing back in pain. Dream raised his sword again, ready to strike a second time. He felt a thrill of adrenaline run through his spine, watching the appendage fall to the forest floor. It was the first time he had actually used his sword against a monster (that wasn’t his younger cousin) and it was as satisfying as he had imagined. 

Unfortunately, the spider did not feel the same way. The spider’s other front leg quickly swept under Dream’s raised sword and slashed into his side, the momentum also knocking him across the trail and into a tree next to George, who had just finished taking care of the first Spider. 

Dream hit the tree hard, his back snapping against the rough bark so brutally that his breath momentarily left his body. 

“Dream!” he heard George yell out from somewhere on his left, followed by the angry hiss of the second spider. His eyes blurred in and out of focus, only managing to catch snippets of George slaying the second spider. Once his head stopped swimming, he attempted to stand back up to assist George, but felt hands on his shoulders pressing him back down gently. 

“Hey Dream, slow down, you’re injured,” George said carefully, while Dream’s eyes came back into focus and settled on George’s face. It was alight with energy from the fight, eyes holding a chaotic brightness. A smearing of black spider’s blood coated his forehead above his brows, but it also seemed to hold sincere worry for Dream’s safety. 

“I’m fine!” Dream reassured George, patting his cheek, “I just got winded from being knocked into the tree.”

George rolled his eyes. “You’re bleeding.” He pointed at Dream’s side where the spider had hit him, and Dream was surprised to note that there was, in fact, a bleeding gash in his side. 

He studied it in silence for a moment before grinning up at George. “I’m going to have my first scar!” 

George seemed to soften for a minute before his face hardened again. “I think that is enough adventure for the day,” He said standing up and surveying the forest. Having determined it to be safe for the moment, he turned back to Dream. 

“Come on, lets find a place to sleep and get you cleaned up,” George said, grabbing Dream’s hand and hoisting him up. Dream allowed the softer treatment only because George’s hand had been oddly comforting and warm on his.

* * *

They quickly found a spot to set up camp for the night, and George busied himself with finding the wood to start a fire, sitting Dream down and refusing his help despite his protests. 

As he was setting up, he thought about how Dream had been so excited at the prospect of a scar. He remembered his first night out with his father, fighting an angry skeleton. He had said something similar about his first battle wound, a small cut on his palm. He traced the now faint white line with his other hand and thought about how Dream might not be so different from himself. 

Focusing back on Dream, he helped him clean and dress his wound. The cut wasn’t as deep as George had first suspected, so it would most likely heal within a weeks’ time. Dream stayed stoic throughout the process, not showing the pain that he must have been feeling besides a slight tightness in his eyes. They enjoyed a hot mushroom soup for dinner, stealing glances both at each other and the forest surrounding them. 

“Does this mean we are friends now?” George saw that Dream was using bravado to make it seem as though he was only joking but there was a subtle hesitation in his expression that gave away the fact that he genuinely seemed to think their fighting of the spiders together had fixed all their issues. 

George sighed. He wanted to say yes. He wanted to trust the noble. But the lingering question of what happened to the King remained in George’s mind and he couldn’t be certain that Dream wasn’t going to do away with him once he saw fit. “No.”

Dream’s face fell immediately. “Figures.” He sullenly crawled over to his bed George had set up for the night and faced pointedly away from the other man. 

_I’m sorry_ , George thought remorsefully at Dream’s back before busying himself with settling down on his side of the sleeping area, which was on the opposite side of the fire from Dream, as his companion continued to pout. 

“You know,” he said suddenly, causing George to look over at him, “We can’t argue the whole time we are going to be together. We should at least try to get along.” Dream had turned back over to look at him expectantly, annoyance could easily be read from his expression despite the ever-present mask.

“Try me,” George responded childishly, before turning away to take the first watch, unable to match Dream’s disappointed gaze any longer.

* * *

Dream was relieved when they finally reached a town after a weeks’ worth of travelling. He was thoroughly tired of George being the only person he was able to talk to and vice versa. They had chosen to spend the time together either in silence or bickering with each other about a multitude of mundane things. The topics of the arguments had been things such as, whether mushrooms tasted good or not, what weapon was the best for fighting, and who gets to sleep on which side of the fire.

They immediately split up upon entering the town, with George heading off to trade some of their coins for food and dream wandering off to search of a tailor. He had snagged his pants on a branch a couple days ago to his dismay and George’s amusement. George had attempted to hide his laugh with a cough when it happened, but Dream had seen the mirth in his eyes. 

The town wasn’t a large one, so within a few minutes Dream had found a shop that looked to be owned by the town tailor. The door was open, so he stepped right in and immediately heard the voices of the shop owner and another customer.

“The Kings gone from the castle, have you heard?” 

“Of course, word right now is that he is after a dragon.” Dream chuckled to himself, unsurprised with the story Wilbur had decided to send out. He doubted that him and George would end up fighting one of the strongest creatures in the Kingdom, although the thought was appealing. 

The shopkeeper scoffed in response. “I don’t believe that tale for a second. He’s shirking his responsibility as king more like.”

The words hit Dream like a punch in the throat and his eye widened in surprise. Of course, he knew that not everyone in the kingdom liked him, but to hear someone he had never met speak of him with such distain was painful. 

He quickly backed out of the shop, deciding the rip in his pants wasn’t actually worth the money. Unfortunately, he didn’t watch his step behind him and smacked right into someone. 

“Sorry! I’m so sorry,” Dream said, immediately bending down to help pick up the books that had fallen out of the woman’s hands and all over the dusty path. 

She dismissed his apologies with an easy smile and a wave of her hand. She stood up, brushing off her hands, and accepted the books back from Dream. Feeling more than a bit embarrassed and flustered, he offered to help her walk them back to her shop. He was just glad George hadn’t been watching. 

“So, travelling from out of town?” she asked. 

“Yes, me and my friend,” Dream chose the word friend carefully, “are just passing through.”

She eyed him with interest. “Where are you headed?”

Dream frowned, not entirely sure how to answer her question. He didn’t really know himself. He had never chosen a set path, the only real direction simply away from the only place he had lived his entire life. He told the Librarian as much. 

She nodded thoughtfully without much surprise. “Are you any good at fighting monsters?”

Dream puffed out his chest subconsciously. “I’d like to think so.” As the King’s son, and then the King, he had trained in fighting and weaponry his entire life. His first real life fight might not have gone exactly as planned, but Dream had decided he was only going to improve from there.

“Well, I have an opportunity for adventure, if you are up for it.”

* * *

The librarian had explained that a witch had been attacking the town at night and that they hadn’t managed to kill it yet. Dream had run to find George and alert him of the opportunity. He had expected George to see it as a waste of time and was surprised when George had enthusiastically agreed. 

Once they had bought an inn room for the night and were preparing to fight, Dream voiced this opinion to George. He simply scoffed in response.

“I actually like adventure and fighting monsters. I like to think I am quite good, better than you, at least.” He threw a smirk at Dream over his shoulder, but he just rolled his eyes in response, used to this form of banter. “And, of course, helping the town. And witches’ huts usually have good loot. It’s a total win, Dream.”

“Ok, you made your point,” Dream responded. He was excited that him and George were finally on the same page. He hoped that this monster fight would help them bond more than the first one had. He thought back to when he had found George buying fruit, happily chatting with a villager. His eyes had crinkled at the corners when he laughed, and he seemed like a different person than the quiet and untrusting knight he was travelling with. 

_I want to make him smile like that._

“Dream,” George said, softer this time. Dream’s eyes snapped to meet his. “Have you ever fought a witch before?” 

Dream shook his head. 

George nodded without surprise and put down his sword that he had been sharpening. He walked over to Dream’s pack and picked up an arrow from its sheath. He held it out for Dream to grab. “Long distance is key. The main thing that you want to avoid are her splash potions.” 

George went on to explain other important details about how to find and fight witches and Dream listened intently. He thought, as George returned to his own preparations, that maybe their possible friendship wasn’t a total lost cause. 

After then sun had passed the horizon and they had eaten a filling meal at the Inn’s tavern, they both set off into the dark woods. The librarian had given Dream the villager’s guess as to where the witch was residing, but no one had known for sure. 

They walked as quietly as possible through the thick woods. Soon, the dark oak trees gave way to a more marsh-like biome, with thick vines and a mushier ground that squelched each time they took a step. The plan was for Dream to stick back once they found the witch, with George charging in to distract it while Dream shot it easily with his bow. He had agreed to the plan at the time but being out in the swamp made him feel more uneasy. 

“George,” Dream called out quietly.

“Dream,” George responded, amusement dancing in his voice.

“Are you sure you just want me to hang in the back and shoot arrows?” 

“Yes,” George said, turning back to give Dream one of his classic exasperated expressions. “If you remember, I was actually sent out here to protect you.”

Dream huffed, “We’re just fighting _one_ witch-”

“-And you told me you were good with a bow and arrow,” George paused and flashed Dream a smirk illuminated by the light of his torch, “so prove it.”

Dream just grumbled in response, electing to return to searching for the witch’s hut.

George, however, wasn’t ready to drop the subject. “Plus, I wouldn’t want you to snag your pants again. Then you would have two small tears to fret over.” He laughed to himself over his own joke.

The other just rolled his eyes, “Ha ha George, you are so very funny.”

“Thank you,” George responded haughtily, ignoring the clear sarcasm. “Did you ever get those fixed by the tailor?”

Dream’s mood soured at the reminder of the tailor. “No, just drop it.” _Of course, George doesn’t know when to drop a joke._ The icy cold swamp water was starting to seep through his boots, and he was ready to find the witch and be done with it. 

The witch, to both his and George’s surprise, found them first. 

The sound of breaking glass startled both Dream and George. “The witch!” George called out, as if it weren’t obvious. She emerged from behind a vine covered tree, another potion ready in hand. Dream turned and ran to get out of the potion’s range. He looked back to see if George was behind him, only to see him slowly hobbling after him.

George noticed him watching anxiously. “Its just a potion of slowness! I’m fine.” He turned around and raised his sword to the witch, clearly making himself the target.

 _Right. Don’t fuck this up._ Dream pulled out his bow and arrow quickly, yanking the bow taught and lining it up with where the witch was slowly making her way towards George. He breathed out roughly. He had to make this, or George wouldn’t have time to run out of the way of the next potion, and Dream didn’t want to find out what it did. 

He took one more steadying breath and let go of his shot, watching helplessly as it soared right over her shoulder. He quickly put another arrow on the string, but it was too late. She launched her second potion through the air, and it landed directly at George’s feet. 

Dream’s second arrow landed accurately right through the witch’s chest and she disappeared, leaving behind only a tinkling cackle that hung in the silence. 

“George!” Dream called, running towards him, hoping with everything he had that the second potion had been another slowness one or one equally has harmless. George turned towards him, eyes wide with surprise and slight terror, before promptly collapsing into the water behind him. 

_Shit._ “No!” Dream yelled, sloshing his way through the muck to George. He reached his side and lifted him out of the water, speaking his name softly in hope of a response that wasn’t going to come. He quickly glanced around in search of the witch’s hut. He remembered George telling him that they usually held good loot and he thought possibly that could include a healing potion of some sort. 

He carried George cradled close to his chest as he wandered in the direction the witch had come from. The knight looked almost peaceful in his arms, as if he had simply fallen asleep, instead of being knocked unconscious by some unknown potion.

The hut was luckily not too far from where they had fought. Dream kicked open the door and placed George gently on the ground once inside. He frantically glanced around, looking for anything that could help him. The hut was rather small, with a black cauldron smack in the middle and a few shelves full of strange ingredients and old weathered books. 

He searched the shelves first, pushing the books around, hunting for a glass bottle of any kind. Unfortunately, nothing turned up, except a book of potions, which was honestly helpful because Dream had no idea what a healing potion looked like in the first place. He skimmed through it, finding the page on healing potions quickly. 

“Pink potion, pink potion, come on,” He muttered to himself, continuing his search. George remained eerily still on the floor next to him, chest barely rising and falling to let him know that his friend was still breathing. 

Dream spun around, growing desperate after not finding anything on the shelf. He glanced in the cauldron in the center of the room, surprised to find a whole host of potions sitting inside. He grabbed the pink healing potion out gently and carried over to George. He deliberated for a moment before deciding just to splash the potion besides him, not want to risk drowning him since he wasn’t awake to drink the potion himself. He waited with bated breath to see if it worked. 

When George’s eyes fluttered open, Dream felt the tightness in his chest release, and he laughed in relief. “Thank god you’re ok,” He said, tugging George into a gentle hug, not wanting to hurt him further. 

He pulled back, keeping his hands on George’s shoulders and studied his face. He looked a little dazed but seemed to be recovered. Dream was slightly surprised by the immense relief he felt that George had been healed. He hadn’t realized how much he had begun to enjoy and even rely on their comradery. Even the bickering had been slowly been turning more fond rather than irate. 

Dream’s mask had fallen off at some point in the fight, and he only realized when George reached his hand out, and rested it along Dream’s cheek, cupping his face gently. Dream tensed with worry that George would recognize him, and the fragile connection they had built would be broken.

“I don’t know why you hide your face,” he said honestly, hand never leaving his cheek, “You’re quite handsome.” 

Dream flushed bright red immediately. “Do healing potions happen to make you loopy?” 

“Perhaps,” George grinned, letting his hand fall from Dream’s face. “They just make you loosen your inhibitions and maybe your tongue.”

He raised his eyebrow. “So, you’re basically drunk?”

George just giggled in response. Dream supposed drunk was a lot better than dead. He tugged his mask back on and stood up, extending his hand towards George. He didn’t feel the need to ask if this adventured had finally closed the gap between them because he already knew the answer.

* * *

George insisted that he was fine, having drank the healing potion, but he still allowed Dream to support him on one side as they walked back to the village. He leaned on Dream more than he had been intending to, but Dream didn’t say a word about it. 

“Thank you,” George said, when they arrived back at the inn and had collapsed into their room, “You did good.” 

“Thanks George,” Dream responded with a smile, “I’m just glad that you’re ok.” George found himself inclined to believe him. If Dream were really a goon of Technoblade, he would have just left him in the swamp. Dream really must have just been a convenient way for Techno to get him out of the castle. 

Since George was still slightly giddy from the healing potion, he voiced this sentiment to Dream. “I’m glad you don’t want to kill me after all.”

Dream’s brow furrowed at that and he looked over at George in concern. “I was never going to kill you. Did you think I wanted to kill you?” 

George just giggled in response and decided not to answer. He was feeling exhausted from the day and the bed he was lying in was so much comfier than the ground that they had slept on for the past week. 

However, one thought kept him awake. “Dream?” George called out, managing to open his eyes to stare blearily at his companion. “Where are you going to sleep?”

“The floor. You need to heal,” Dream responded, and George could see that he had laid out a couple blankets and a pillow on the floor.

He frowned, not wanting Dream to suffer when they finally had a chance at comfort, something that was likely to become more and more rare. “I can share. The bed isn’t that small.” It was, but George thought he wouldn’t mind Dream sleeping next to him.

Dream laughed easily and ignored his offer. “Goodnight George,” he said, blowing out the candle. 

In the dark, George thought that not many nobles would have given up the opportunity to sleep in the comfort of a bed instead of on the floor. Dream kept surprising him. He supposed that he didn’t mind so much. 

George fell asleep, grateful that out of all the nobles Techno could have stuck him with, he got to be with Dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is more getting to know each other, bonding, and more shenanigans!! 
> 
> Also!!! Check out this amazing [art](https://vividi156.tumblr.com/post/630906923043176448/technoqlane-fanart-for-your-fanfic-i-guess-i) of this story by Vividi156 on Tumblr!! I love it with my whole heart pls give it some love  
> And this one!! Bpzau-art has made another amazing [art](https://bpzau-art.tumblr.com/post/630177214425661440/this-drawing-they-connect-ig) peice that you should check out as well
> 
> As always, feel free to come ask me questions on my Tumblr over at [technoqlane](https://technoqlane.tumblr.com/) and drop a comment here if you enjoyed the chapter. Thank you for reading!! <333


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